Bloom
by Nissaw
Summary: "Sometimes, we lose ourselves in the midst of loving others." / A story of being lost in love, and finding your way back home full, whole, and finally, truly happy. Sasuke & Sakura, and [sometimes] other canon pairings.
1. Prologue

" _No matter what you ask of the daffodil,_

 _It will still wait until Spring to bloom._

 _From this, I learned we all open up_

 _When the time is right."_

 _-Rudy Francisco, "Bloom"_

They moved too fast.

It was the first thought she had as she stared straight ahead into the dark eyes of the love of her life. He hadn't just been her first love, but he was her first _real_ love-you know, the type of love that wasn't hidden underneath childishness or selfishness, the kind that forced you to grow up, the love which taught you that _he_ didn't complete _you_ , you completed yourself, and he just added to it, like the perfect cheesecake crumbles atop a vanilla frozen yogurt, the love that was patient and kind and _unconditional_ -which is why his proposal came as a shock.

"You—you're breaking up with me?"

"No, I just need a break."

"Sasuke-kun, is that not what breaking up is?" Sakura asked, tears threatening to spill at any given moment.

"Sakura… I just… need some time."

That did it.

With the proverbial flood gates opened, Sakura took a shuddering breath. You see, her mother had always told her that crying in front of others was weak. With Sasuke, she had never taken that advice into account, but now, she was feeling very insecure, very vulnerable, _very weak._

"Just tell me what I can do to fix this, please, I—"

"This isn't a definite end, Sakura," he muttered, cutting off her proclamation, of which he assumed was her undying love for him; yes, one Uchiha Sasuke, the avenger, the deserter, the _traitor_ , the legendary prodigal shinobi who returned, was loved endlessly, something he didn't think he deserved.

"I just need to make sure this is something I really want."

"Something you…really want," Sakura sighed, an empty, hollow breath.

She couldn't say she didn't see this coming. You see, Haruno Sakura, although beautiful, kind, and as passionate as they come, was insecure when it came to just one thing-just one person- _him._ Sure, she was praised as one of the greatest kunoichi across the land, accomplishing seemingly impossible feats with both her fists of fury and her medical knowledge, but underneath, she was still a _woman._ She was what one could call a walking contradiction: strong, yet soft.

It was that which attracted men far and wide to her. And she rejected them all. All, of course, in favor of one dark-haired, dark-eyed man who, it turns out, after two years, didn't even know if he _wanted_ this relationship, didn't know if he wanted _her._

Seemingly reading her mind, Sasuke grabbed her upper arms and allowed his hands to trail down her arms until he reached her own at her sides.

"It's been a long time coming. We need this. Just, please, trust me, Sakura."

She wanted to trust him more than anything. They had been through hellfire and storms and so, so many tears, but through their love and hard work, along with their trust in and respect of one another, they made it through obstacles every single time, looking back on them as if they were pebbles compared to the boulders they had seemed to be.

Closing her eyes, Sakura shook her head, but spoke one word, "Okay."

Now calm and composed on the surface and a shaken, anxious mess on the inside, Sakura couldn't help but wonder:

 _Why is he doing this?_

 _More importantly, how did we get here?_


	2. How It All Began

**_Three Years Ago_**

 _Upon arriving in Konoha after a year long solo journey, Uchiha Sasuke had vowed to make amends with his friends; the people who meant the most to him before he abandoned them all those years ago. You see, there had been no room for love nor mirth on his chosen path; only that of death, of destruction, of revenge. As that was fact, not opinion, to the young Uchiha, he did what would become one of his biggest regrets: severed the bonds tying he and his friends (and his village) together._

 _After defeating his older brother in what should have been a triumphant moment, Sasuke learned the truth of his brother's betrayal; the lies, the deceit, and the heartbreak that shook him to the core. Maddened, Sasuke was convinced that the only way to reform the cursed ninja world, the world that slaughtered his clan and led him to committing the murder of his brother, was to burn it (along with those who were devoted to it) to the ground. Following the Fourth Great Ninja War and his final epic battle with Naruto that_ _ **of course**_ _just had to end in broken bones, multiple contusions, and missing limbs blown to bits in the chaos, he had begun to see the light and became utterly devoted to becoming greater. However, this time, it would not be vengeance that drove him, no… This time, it would be love, for both himself and those around him. From this point on, he solemnly swore to protect the trust and faith placed in him._

 _One by one, Sasuke earned the friendships of those once left behind, which was no easy task. He was constantly making sacrifices, be they large or trivial, in hopes of gaining back what he once had. Although still difficult, Kakashi and Naruto were, of course, the easiest. After a few trials (although they'd deny he was being tested if asked), they were handing out a second chance as if they had been waiting for niceties and sincere apologies since the day he had left (it would be a lie to say they hadn't). And although it had taken an embarrassing public reading of Kakashi's favorite erotic novel, what felt like a thousand bowls of ramen, and an all out, no rules scrap-because sparring just wouldn't cut it, the feelings of betrayal had slowly dissolved into those they once were: compassion, trust, and brotherhood. However, things with Sakura, surprisingly, had been another story completely._

 _Unbeknownst to anyone but themselves, Sakura and Sasuke had stayed in near constant contact throughout his journey. They had both been pleased to discover that since their goodbye at Konoha's gates, a quiet love had blossomed through the exchanging of simple letters and oftentimes small gifts and mementos they just had to purchase for each other upon seeing them, be it a healing herb not found in Konoha, or a specially crafted balm to aid in his arm healing more quickly. Through these small yet thoughtful words and actions, they had grown closer than they had ever been, and for once, Sasuke was truly looking forward to see how their relationship would grow. As the day when he would appear at the village's gates, Sasuke felt himself becoming giddy with excitement to see his home, for he came to know that it wasn't the village that was his home-it was her._

 _After a year of his self-exploration came to an end, Uchiha Sasuke found himself approaching the enormous gates of Konohagakure. Allowing his chakra to expand, he searched for a particular chakra signature nearby. He found a few, but not the one he was looking for. As he got closer to the village, he could make out the forms of Kakashi and Naruto, and a few other members of the Rookie Nine for whom he really didn't particularly care, along with a few civilian villagers who stopped to see the reason the others were excitedly standing near the gates. Missing, to his dismay, was a certain pink haired woman; his teammate who was not really that anymore, she was now a woman who, when thought of, Sasuke could never think of a word to accurately describe her. Teammate was no longer enough, though, he knew. He needed more._

 _Finally walking through the gates, Sasuke ignored the loud welcome of Naruto, walking right by the loquacious blonde, pretending not to hear the excitement laced within his voice. Sauntering right up to his sensei-turned-Hokage, Sasuke bowed, muttering a low, "Hokage-sama." Surprised, and slightly perturbed, the Rokudaime lazily placed his hands in his pocket, and with eyes crinkled in the corners, said, "Now, now, Sasuke. I thought I told you to leave out the formalities when we speak. Forgetting our letters already, ne?" Rolling his eyes in response to the public scolding, Sasuke spoke lowly, so only Kakashi and Naruto could hear, "Kakashi, where is Sakura?" "Ah, I see, so we aren't enough for you, hm?" "Kakashi, if-," however, Sasuke was unable to finish his statement. Looking down to the bandaged hand on his shoulder, wondering why it was there, he then spared a glance to the owner of said hand. In Naruto's electric blue eyes, Sasuke found something he hadn't been expecting after his loud welcome: apprehension. He could tell that his best friend was having an inner dilemma, but what could it be?_

" _Sasuke," he began, "I think it might be best if you gave Sakura-chan some space."_

 _Startled out of his thoughts, Sasuke blinked, grunting a question, "Hn?" Naruto sighed "I think Sakura-chan needs space, teme. She's been really stressed, and on top of that- huh? Teme! Get back here!" Naruto ended in vain, as Sasuke could not hear him. As soon as he had begun to process what Naruto had been saying, he jumped to a nearby rooftop, taking off as fast as he could toward Konoha's sole hospital. He hadn't known how he got to the position in which he was; his feet had simply moved before he will it not to. He could only imagine how he looked to his former classmates and friends, but he didn't care. He just had to see her, had to feel her, had to-_

 _Shaking his head to clear his mind from thoughts that weren't exactly unwelcomed, Sasuke breathed a barely audible sign of relief as he came loser to the hospital and felt a familiar chakra so calming and full of warmth that he almost forgot to breathe. Gracefully leaping down, he walked in through the automatic sliding doors of the place that Sakura so loved. Striding up to the front desk, Sasuke stopped to be greeted by the seemingly efficient administrative employee. Due to years of being hounded by women for his good looks, he was not surprised when she was reduced to a blushing mess at the sight of the traitor-turned-hero. Rolling his eyes, he walked around to the other side of the desk, where a young man had been answering phones._

" _Excuse me, I am looking for Dr. Haruno. Is she available?" he politely asked. With a brief glance, the young man clicked his mouse, bringing his computer out of its deep sleep, and accessed the Dr. Haruno Sakura's schedule. Being new, it took the desk boy longer than what Sasuke had the patience for. Luckily, however, right as his eye had begun to twitch, the young man whom he now knew as Haruki, according to his nametag, responded, "Hai, it seems that Haruno-san has finished her last surgery for the day and will more than likely be in her office. Who should I tell her is waiting?" Releasing a breath of relief he hadn't realized he'd been holding (he had been doing that a lot lately, hadn't he?), he calmly replied, "Uchiha Sasuke." With slightly widened eyes, Haruki looked down before responding, "Ah, Uchiha-san, she actually isn't allowing any visitors today. If you'd like, I can take a messa-" Upon looking up, Haruki's statement died in his throat, as the unexpected visitor had disappeared, to find the doctor himself._

 _Although he had been away for some time, Sasuke knew exactly where to find her. Because she had just gotten out of surgery, he knew that she wouldn't be in her office. Instead, he went directly to hospital's large garden, located on the patio of the 3_ _rd_ _floor. Sakura once told him that after her surgeries, when she's done for the day, she sits on the grass beneath the only weeping willow and tries her best to relax her nerves. Contrary to popular belief, she always went into every surgery nervous, full of anxiety and adrenaline, even though she makes sure to never show it. Her hands remain steady at all times, unparalleled, as she slices through flesh and bone with her perfect chakra control. After each procedure, these are the same hands that rub her temples, willing her frantic mind to shut off, if only for a moment. It is in this position that Sasuke finds her._

 _Watching her stiffen as he paused in his approach made his stomach churn, although he had no explanation for it (who was he kidding-he knew that she knew he was there, and he knew that there was a problem, he knew that she would have never missed his arrival, the bond they had been slowly but surely building in his absence would have cemented that fact...). First turning her head slightly to acknowledge his presence, and then shifting her body fully, so she was facing him, Sakura muttered a soft, "Sasuke-kun, okaeri." "Tadaima, Sakura," Sasuke confusedly responded. While this was showing all the promise of a cliché, romantic welcoming, something was, well, missing. Sasuke had been expecting something more; he had fully expected the pinkette to leap into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably, while he would stand there, feigning indifference, but being sure to catch her, letting her know that he wouldn't let her fall, gingerly clutching her waist with his lone hand, allowing her the catharsis she needed. Instead, she remained seated on the ground, and as her eyebrows began to furrow, she turned around to continue her gaze at nothing in particular. Becoming even more confused, Sasuke took a seat beside her, wondering just what it was that could be bothering her, to the point where she had not wanted to see him._

" _Sakura?"_

 _The silence was deafening as, instead of answering him, Sakura tilted her head back, looking to the sky. "Sasuke…I need you to be honest with me."_

 _Bristling at the lack of suffix bestowing his name, he prepared himself for whatever it was she was about to say._

" _Sasuke, do you think there was maybe a reason why you hated me for so long?"_

 _Blinking once. Twice. Three times, Sasuke broke his trademarked detached apathy for a facial expression that screamed confusion. He just couldn't understand why, after all he has said and written, all he has felt in the past months, this had been an actual question. And even after dropping that bomb, Sakura refused to even look his way. (The dryness in her eyes had truly spoken for her. There was nothing to describe the hurt, the panic, the_ _ **fear**_ _coursing through her veins)._

" _Sakura, I-… Sakura, look at me." He hadn't meant to sound as harsh as he did. He never wanted to seem too cold or arrogant or callous with her, never again. Understanding his tone, Sakura looked to the man next to her, and after seeing they were alone in the garden, Sasuke placed his hand on Sakura's shoulder._

" _I never hated you," he murmured, "I was just afraid. You made me feel…" when it was clear he was at a loss for words, Sakura asked, "I made you feel…what?"_

" _Everything."_

 _Now it was her turn to be speechless. Sasuke took advantage of her sudden shock and continued what he wanted to say._

" _I never knew what to say with you. With Naruto, there are never many words from my end, but with you, I just feel as though it's never enough. It started out as nothing to be worried over, and believe me, I never allowed it to. But now…this…you… I just don't know. I'm never at a loss for words, but I don't know what to say."_

 _Amazed that he had said so many words, Sakura whispered the only one she could think of: "Try."_

 _Shaken out of his thoughts, Sasuke quickly stood from the ground, holding his hand out for her to do the same. When she took it, he tried his best to project an air of stoicism, so imagine his surprise when he said, "You feel like coming in from the rain." (If nothing else had ever taught him to think before he spoke, this would surely take the cake)._

 _Exhaling, Sakura did the only thing her brain allowed her to do: she kissed him. The peck was simple; chaste, yet sweet. What was meant to be fleeting had instead lit a fire between both parties, and neither of them expected him to deepen the kiss, chasing her lips as she tried to pull back. Gasping for air, Sasuke had broken the kiss and then stood frozen, unbelieving of what just happened. Sakura, on the other hand, was currently biting her lip, trying to refrain from another spur of the moment decision until she asked, "Would you like to walk me home?"_

 _Of course, without any hesitation, Sasuke agreed._

 ** _oOo_**

 _The walk home was silent. He had long since abandoned her hand, and to hide his nervousness, he kept his lone hand hidden underneath his thick black cloak. Although Sakura had refused to obviously observe him, she kept looking at him out of the corner of her eyes. She sensed he was a bit unnerved, but when he glanced over at her and caught her eye, holding the eye contact for a few moments, the intensity in his gaze made her look away. The rest of the walk to her apartment, she kept her eyes forward, for fear of her knees buckling under his gaze. (Gods help her!)_

 _Walking through the door and leaving it open, Sakura was not surprised at all when her back was suddenly against the wall, her lips covered in a soft, tantalizing kiss. After her mind caught up to what her body was doing, she relaxed, melting into the kiss, allowing Sasuke's hand to drift from the small of her back, where he was holding her in place, to the side of her face, where he absentmindedly stroked her cheek while trying to subdue his equally absentminded groaning._

 _Pulling back, but only far enough to rest her forehead on his, Sakura whispered, "Where did you learn to kiss like that?"_

" _Hn. If I told you, I'd have to kill you."_

 _Laughing, Sakura pulled him into another searing kiss, making sure he could feel everything she felt for him, and if that wasn't enough, she also whispered, "Aishiteru, Sasuke-kun." His responding groan as he lifted her leg around his waist, giving her the cue to do the same with her other leg (she trusted him not to ever let her fall again without being caught, after all) spoke volumes._

 _As they disappeared behind her bedroom door, she caught a glimpse of his letters. She had kept every one. The most recent one, the one that scared her senseless, yet strengthened her resolve in him, in the idea of_ _ **them**_ _, was clearly visible on top. From her vantage point she could make out the words: "I'm coming home. Wait for me." And in that moment, she knew that doing just that had been worth it._

" _You're mine," he whispered._

" _Yes," she breathed. "All yours."_

 ** _oOoOo_**

 **Author's Note:** Alright guys, so this chapter is just a little backstory on how they actually began their relationship. I tried to make it seem like they had had so much emotional/sexual tension in the air to the point where, when they kissed, it opened a door that maybe they weren't ready to walk through? Like, they had a lot to talk about, but that kiss just set it off, nahmean? Expect some drama, some fluff, and some plain old life living. I may take a peek into other couples, but more than likely won't.

So, it may seem like Sasuke is out of character a bit. I mixed a little angst god in with a little more personality. So think of a piece of stale bread, but it's not stale enough to not be eaten, y'know? The reasoning for this is: Sasuke realizes that in order to get Sakura, he needs to communicate. You'll realize that he doesn't talk **too** much, but it could still be viewed as a lot. The question is, though, will it last?

Thank you for the likes and favorites, I hope you guys enjoyed it!

Love, Nissa


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